Industry News

Scientists have concluded that the larger the wind turbine, the greener the electricity it produces. Their report appears in ACS' journal Environmental Science & Technology. This study could solidify the trend toward construction of larger wind turbines.

'Green grabbing' - the rapidly-growing appropriation of land and resources in the name of 'green ' biofuels, carbon offsetting schemes, conservation efforts and eco-tourism initiatives – is forcing people from their homelands and increasing poverty, new research has found.

The 2012 ASHRAE Handbook – HVAC Systems and Equipment discusses systems and the equipment that comprises them, including features and differences. It is designed to help system designers and building operators select and use equipment. It contains 52 chapters.

The Energy Department has announced more than $7 million for three innovative lighting projects at companies in California, Michigan and North Carolina that aim to lower the cost of manufacturing high-efficiency solid-state lighting (SSL) technologies like light-emitting diodes (LEDs) and organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs).

The cost of managing a building can be measured by the cost per worker, per square foot. Reducing that cost, however, requires a more in-depth building analysis. Integrating a thermal imaging-based people counting system can evaluate an office building’s utilization, for example, with a layered approach. Rather than apply sweeping changes to an entire building, the system intricately studies specific areas.

The Energy Department has announced winners for the “Apps for Energy” competition, with app developers submitting more than 50 innovative mobile and web applications that will help utility consumers save money by making the most of their “Green Button” electricity usage data.

U.S. Secretary of Energy Steven Chu has announced plans to invest up to $120 million over five years to launch a new Energy Innovation Hub, establishing a multidisciplinary and sustained effort to identify problems and develop solutions across the lifecycle of critical materials.

Commercial buildings, restaurants, and hotels are often prime locations for stainless steel use. Disease-causing bacteria has long been an issue to contend with when choosing stainless steel, but researchers have developed a new way to provide a layer of antibacterial coating that will disinfect and kill potential threats.

With the constant focus on electric vehicles and sustainable transportation, a swap to the propane-powered cab should come as no surprise. Yellow Cab of Pittsburgh, a division of the Pittsburgh Transportation Group (PTG), is introducing propane-powered taxi cabs to Pittsburgh.

A study released by civil engineers at MIT displays the potential of using stiffer pavements on the nation’s roads. The figures are significant, showing a reduction in fuel consumption of as much as 3% - adding up to about 273 barrels of crude oil per year or $15.6 billion at today’s prices. It would also reduce CO2 emissions by 46.5 million metric tons per year.

The Energy Department has announced that more than one thousand fuel cells have been deployed via the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. Over the last three years, nearly 1,200 fuel cells have been deployed in emergency backup power units and material handling equipment.

05/10/2012
Maintaining good indoor air quality (IAQ) is one of the most important aspects of facility maintenance because it directly affects the health, productivity and comfort of building occupants. Even modern, well-ventilated buildings can have poor indoor air quality. In fact, both the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the World Health Organization recognize “Sick Building Syndrome” and “Building-Related Illness” as serious conditions occurring from new and remodeled buildings worldwide.1

The CUNY Energy Institute has developed low-cost batteries that are safe, non-toxic, and reliable with fast discharge rates and high energy densities, and has announced an operating prototype zinc anode battery system. This system could have serious potential to reduce building and facility electric bills, and is scheduled for commercialization later this year.

White stopped being the official color of architecture a while ago. According to a study conducted by researchers at the Polytechnic University of Valencia (UPV, Spain), new buildings have now been transformed and fragmented and they display movement and innovation thanks to the versatility of color.

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